My objective is called "domain and range,determine from graphs", so by the name of the objective you can probably guess that i will show you how to know what a graph will look like by the way the equation is written.

The first thing to know is what y=x^2 looks like on a graph.
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As you can see here on the graph of y=x^2 that the vertex is on the origin (0,0), it opens upwards, and it is standard width.
These kinds of questions only deal with parabolas, y=a(x-h)^2+k. H and K determine where the vertex is, so on y=x^2 notice that there is no h or k so they are both 0. That is why the vertex is on (0,0).
To determine where the vertex of the graph is located you must look at the h and k values. The h value moves it on the x-axis (right and left), if the value is + your move it to the left and if it is - you move it to the right.
Ex.
wikipic2.JPG The equation for A is y=(x+2)^2 and the equation for B is y=(x-2)^2. Notice that the only difference is what way the graph moved along the x-axis.
Now that we know what the h value does to the graph we will figure what the k value does to the graph.
The equation for A is y=x^2-1 and the equation for B is y=x^2+1, the only difference in the graph compared to the standard graph of y=x^2 is that it moved up and down on the y-axis.



So to kind of recap what we learnt so far, here is an example.

The equation for this graph is y=(x+3)^2-3 so the vertex of the graph is (-3,-3). Always remember that a positive h value moves the vertex to the left and a nagative value moves it to the right, and if the k value is positive then the vertex moves up and if it is negative it moves down.

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Now that we know what the h and k values do we will move onto the a value. First off the sign of the a value, if it is a negative value then the parabola will open downwards and if it is positive it will open upwards, pretty simple. The most difficult and confusing thing is the a value its self. The a value sets the width of the graph, standard width is when there is no A value or 1. If you have a graph with an A value you multiply the Y values on points on the graph by the A value.

So lets say that the points (1,1) and (2,2) are on your graph and you have an a value is 2, so now the points on your new graph would be (1,2) and (2,4), the y value is doubled, if the a value was 3 then the y value is tripled and so on. So basically if the a value is greater then 1 it will get narrower, and if it is any number between 0 and 1 then it will get wider.
ex.
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Ok well there are 4 lines on this one graph. Line B is y=x^2 it is standard width. Line C is obviously narrower and the equation for this line is y=2x^2, so on the standard graph where the point is (1,1) the point on graph C is (1,2), the y value is multiplied by the A value . Line A has an equation of y=0.2x^2 so the point is (1,0.2), once again the y value is multiplied by the A value. Now line D is identical to line C except it opens downward, so the difference is equations is one is y=-2x^2 and one is y=2x^2, the - sign in front of the two makes it open downward.

Now that we know what all the values mean you can put it into one equation.
ex.
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So now lets say you are working on accelerated math and it gives you a question where it gives you an equation and gives you 4 different graphs to choose from. start off by checking the vertex. Just look at the h and k values, lets say the equation is y=(x-3)^2-2, the vertex has to be (3,-2), so look at the graphs and check it out, you could easily narrow it down, also check the sign in front of the A value, if its positive it opens up and if its negative it opens down. NOw if you still have more then one answer look at the A value, if it is greater then 1 it will be narrow and if it is between 0 and 1 it will be wider.

ex.What is the graph for y=2(x-1)^2+2
untitled12.JPG

A is the correct answer because if you look at the h and k points you can tell where the vertex is, so -1 and 2 means the vertex is at (1,2) so right off the bat it eliminates C and D, now if you look at the value of the A value you will notice that it is positive so the graph has to open upwards so that eliminates B so you have your answer.
If you read this whole wiki you will now beable to tell what the graph of any equation of a parabola will look like.